"The police is not doing they job," Pharagood said. "They harassing you more than they are doing they job. It needs to stop."

"We have to do more. I think its very important that we take a serious look at this matter to prevent and be proactive," said Thibodaux Councilwoman Constance Johnson. She has long been calling for the resignation of the Police Chief Scott Silverii.

That's part of the reason scores of people packed council chambers at Thibodaux City Hall for Tuesday's meeting. Johnson has called out the department for what she says are unsafe conditions in the city's public housing and surrounding neighborhood and unfair treatment of residents.

She said the people who live there are not the ones causing trouble.

"Most of what has happened was not by the residents. So I want to make it clear that the people understand this," Johnson said.

Many believe the problems in that neighborhood escalated when the department got rid of its community policing program. Residents say the program had been in place for the previous three mayors in Thibodaux but under the current administration it was cut.

Still, the police chief is not taking all of the criticism of his department lightly. He says there are liaisons who patrol that area and when people call for service his officers respond.

The chief said he uses data to determine the best use of resources and where officers should patrol. Though he does admit that he and his officers could be more "humanistic" when dealing with residents.

As for Gloria Pharagood, she just wants officers to follow the golden rule. "I would like to see the police do a better job and have a better attitude with people. Treat people the way you want to be treated," she said.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ON THE HOT SEAT. AT ISSUE: SAFETY IN THE PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. SOME RESIDENTS SAY THINGS HAVE TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE AFTER THE DEPARTMENT GOT RID OF ITS COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM...AND THEY WANT THE CHIEF HELD ACCOUNTABLE. WDSU REPORTER GINA SWANSON IS JUST BACK FROM THIBADOUX AS SHE TELLS US THE CHIEF DEFENDS HIS RECORD. THE COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR YEARS AND WAS PAID FOR THROUGH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THIBADOUX ...BUT IN THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION THAT PROGRAM GOT THE AX. RESIDENT SAY CRIME IS ON THE RISE. CHIEF SCOTT SILVERII SAYS FIGHTING CRIME--NOT MATTER THE AREA--IS HIS TOP PRIORITY. the police is not doing they job they harassing you more than they are doing they job 18:19:51 It needs to stop GLORIA PHARAGOOD HAS LIVED IN GOVERNMENT CIRCLE PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THIBADOUX FOR YEARS SHE SAYS RECENTLY THINGS HAVE TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD we have to do more I think its very inmortant that we take a serious look at this matter to prevent and be proactive THAT'S PART OF THE REASON SCORES OF PEOPLE PACKED proactive THAT'S PART OF THE REASON SCORES OF PEOPLE PACKED COUNCIL CHAMPERS AT THIBADOUX CITY HALL. THIS AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER CONSTANCE JOHNSON HAS CALLED OUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR WHAT SHE SAYS ARE UNSAFE CONDITIONS IN THAT AREA AND UNFAIR TREATMENT OF ITS RESIDENTS. WHO SHE SAYS ARE NOT THE ONES CAUSING TROUBLE. most of what has happened was not by the residents so I want to make it clear that the people understand this Many believe the problems escalated when the department got rid Many believe the problems escalated when the department got rid of community police and a beloved officer calvin cooks. STILL, THE POLICE CHIEF IS NOT TAKING ALL OF THE CRITICISM OF HIS DEPARTMENT LIGHTLY. HE SAYS THERE ARE LIASONS WHO PATROL THAT AREA AND WHEN PEOPLE CALL FOR SERVICE HIS OFFICERS RESPOND we reallocated our resources into a city wide comprehensive crime program always had two fulltime hiousing liason officers THE CHIEF SAYS HE USES DATA TO THE CHIEF SAYS HE USES DATA TO DETERMINE THE BEST USE OF RESOURCES AND WHERE OFFICERS SHOULD PATROL. THE CHIEF DOES ADMINT THAT HE AND HIS OFFICERS COULD BE MORE SENSITIVE WHEN DEALING WITH RESIDENTS. AS FOR GLORIA PHARAGOOD OFFICERS FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE. I would like to see the police doa better job and have a better attitude with people treat people the way you want to be treated COUNCIL WOMAN JOHNSON ALSO TOOK EXCEPTION TO A COMMENT MADE BY THE POLICE CHIEF IN REFERENCE TO THE COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM. THE CHIEF WAS QUOTED AS SAYING "BECAUSE WE DON'T HOLD HANDS AND SING 'KUMBAYA,' DOES THAT MEAN WE DON'T CARE? NO, WE SHOW WE CARE BY MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY," JOHNSON BELIEVES THAT COMMENT WAS INSENSITIVE TO THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE AREA--MOST OF WHOM ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN-- WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT CRIME IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. HUNDREDS ARE SUPPORTING THE CHIEF AND THE DEPARTMENT LAST THURSDAY A FACEBOOK PAGE TITLED "I SUPPORT SCOTT SILVERII" WAS CREATED AND HAS MORE THAN 14 HUNDRED LIKES. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIBODAUX CITY COUNCILWOMAN CONSTANCE JOHNSON HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. TWO YEARS AGO, AFTER A SERIES OF ITEAM REPORTS INTO A TIRE SLASHING INCIDENT AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS WHERE NUMEROUS NEW POLICE CARS WERE VANDALIZED, SHE ASKED FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEPARTMENT. IN THAT MATTER - A HIGH RANKING OFFICER WAS QUESTIONED, BUT NEVER CHARGED WITH A CRIME. JOHNSON ACCUSED THE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF SILVERII OF GOING ON A WITCH HUNT AND TRYING TO GET RID OF THE OFFICER.